I respect the shit out of Tatsuki Fujimoto. Oneshots for the most part are a medium of manga that are severely under utilised. In the one shot format it is possible to tell a wide variety of interesting stories with a compact plot that doesn't dillydally and makes you feel things. When done right they are some of the best stories to consume in manga. But, overall oneshots as a majority usually aren't very good. Most of the time they are used as proof of concepts to see if the audience likes the concept and to see if it could get serialized. They usually are left open ended and don't offer any real resolution. While I do like some of these oneshots that don't end conclusively to some extent it feels like this medium is being wasted. Where instead of telling great compact stories it's instead used as a testing dummy. So it's very cool to see Tatsuki Fujimoto emerging and creating oneshots with some of the best storytelling in recent history, pushing the boundaries of the complex yet simple stories that can be told in one chapter.

Look Back is genuinely really good. I really appreciate that Fujimoto is trying to tell stories that are really simple on the outside, but have layers beneath them that tells a deeper story. It makes these oneshots have infinite re-readability as every time you come back there is a new angle to look at the story from and new stuff to discover.

The story follows Fujino, a girl who initially draws joke manga as a pastime. She clearly isn't very serious about art but she enjoys the praise that art gives her from her classmates. Her initial art whilst being very childish and not very good has this sense of heart to it that is pretty hard to explain. One day a teacher asks Fujino if a reclusive student named Kyomoto could potentially share a page in the newspaper for manga. When Fujino sees Kyomoto's art she is stunned. Kyomoto's art is leagues better than Fujino's and everyone says her art looks completely average compared to hers. This makes Fujino very jealous and she strives to become a better artist than Kyomoto. Fujino practices hard but unfortunately Kyomoto's art becomes way too good and Fujino gives up art. Eventually Fujino meets Kyomoto to deliver her diploma to her and they strike up an unlikely friendship as Kyomoto ended up being a fan of Fujino's work. The story navigates their lifelong friendships and showcases the indirect impact both of them had on each other. Fujimoto's storytelling is incredibly efficient, managing to convey a wealth of emotions and the growth of Fujino and Kyomoto's relationship in a short span. Fujimoto is a master of using visual storytelling, with panels that speak volumes without the need for extensive dialogue. In the beginning the art is relatively simplistic. The characters aren't as detailed and the shading is minimal. Overall it reflects the wholesome vibe of the beginning where it's just two girls who initially start out with a rocky one-sided rivalry but eventually become friends due to a shared common interest. But, towards the end of the manga the shading of the character becomes more complex as the story becomes darker and more sad.

What sets Look Back apart from other stories that tell the story of the artist process is that instead of showing you the creation of said art and the journey it took the create that art. The manga instead delves into much deeper complexities that come with creating art like the anxieties and insecurities, and eventual triumphs that come with creating art. The dynamic between Fujino and Kyomoto is especially compelling, as even tho skill-wise they are on two different spectrums with Kyomoto being a way better artist they manage to inspire each other in unexpected ways. Kyomoto being Fujino's inspiration to take art seriously and make it more than just some hobby. While Fujino inspired Kyomoto to not be a shut-in and go to art school to experience the world and become an even better artist.

Overall while I did like Goodbye Eri more than Look Back this is still a crazy good oneshot with a lot to unpack and a lot to say.